[A 4-mile streetcar route would supposedly boost Cincinnati's economy by $2 billion](http://www.reason.com/blog/show/123001.html). A good example of why you need to always stop and think about what a result…
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[The problems of universal screening when your test isn't perfect](http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/10/think_positive.php). Human beings are, in general, really bad about thinking about rare events. This is a good example of…
[How do views on economic management ability affect voting?](http://possumcomitatus.wordpress.com/2007/10/17/does-economic-management-influence-the-primary-vote/). Short version: being seen as good (or bad) can increase (decrease) the ALP vote, but doesn't move the coalition…
[Al Gore rules out a run for president in 2008](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/17/2062367.htm). It's a pity. He'd make a great president. But his time has passed, so I suppose I should…
*Annoucements*: ALP announces [$81 million for more nurses](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/17/2062270.htm). Very quiet day, really. Probably because of the funeral of the Australian soldier attended by both Rudd and Howard. 38…
A little something for my Austalian Public Service readers: [a USB powered whack-a-mole game](http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/01/usb-powered-whack-a-mole-annihilates-productivity/). Should fill in the days until November 26.
[A good sumary of mechanism design theory](http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2007/10/mechanism-desig.html). Pretty simple at the end of the day: complicated mechanisms are normally unnecessary.
[A history of religion in 90 seconds](http://www.mapsofwar.com/ind/history-of-religion.html). The contrast between the early spread of Christianity and Islam is quite fascinating.
[A Japanese building with a 200-foot drop ride built into the middle](http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/architecture/beautiful-japanese-building-to-be-covered-in-puke-311143.php). It does look quite nice, but (as the linked post points out) clean up could be…
[Apparently all the cool graph theorists use fake names on their papers](http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2007/10/15/5455305.aspx). By the way, all my physics papers are published under an assumed name too, but that's…